Bruce, the senior, handed Sean seven small pieces of parchment, each with a note on the back: "Green's friends are our friends. We're happy to help."
Even in the classroom, Justin and Neville were still clutching their letters, excitedly discussing what to buy. The buzz hadn't worn off.
"Oh, Hermione, guess what Sean got in the greenhouse?" Justin said with a grin, glancing at Hermione, who was practicing her Levitation Charm.
Hermione, flipping through Standard Book of Spells: Grade 6 to unravel the secrets of silent spells, raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, angelica seeds?"
"A hundred times better than that!" Justin replied.
Sean slid a small parchment onto her desk. Its yellow-and-black edges had a soft glow, and Hermione couldn't look away.
"What's this…?" she asked, instantly drawn into the lively discussion.
---
Sean settled onto a soft, sky-blue cushion by the fireplace. Thanks to the fire's warmth, Justin had set up a round table nearby, where three steaming mugs of milk sat.
Sean sipped his milk and dove into A Compendium of Magical Runes. Not far off, Justin and the others huddled around a wooden table, buzzing with excitement.
"I've got to hit Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop for some decorations," Justin said. "They say during the holidays, Hogsmeade's trees are draped with enchanted candles. I wonder if Madam Puddifoot sells them. Imagine those lighting up the classroom! And Dervish and Banges—I'm curious about their Sneakoscopes and how they're different from magnifying glasses. So exciting to think about!"
Justin scribbled down his list, then glanced at Sean. "Think the seniors can handle all this?"
Sean thought of Pister's neck—probably strained from carrying stuff—but Bruce had written not to worry. They were wizards, after all, with spells to help.
"Yep," Sean nodded.
"Awesome!" Justin let out a quiet cheer. "Hermione, what about you?"
"Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop has so much I want… pheasant-feather quills with black-and-gold trim, rainbow ink, oversized quills…" Hermione scanned the list, struggling to choose.
"Alright, Neville, your turn," Justin said, noticing Hermione's furrowed brow.
"Gloves, flowerpots…" Neville mumbled.
Justin chuckled. No surprise there.
The three of them were easy to read. Justin figured if they went to Hogsmeade, Hermione and Sean would make a beeline for Scrivenshaft's, while Neville would get stuck staring at flowerpots in Dervish and Banges.
As for Justin, he'd rambled about a lot, but he was really set on Honeydukes. Enchanted sweets? Too good to pass up.
The fire crackled as Sean emerged from his book. He eyed the three remaining parchments, unsure who to give them to.
Hogsmeade, the only all-wizard village in Britain, was founded by Hengist of Woodcroft. Hogwarts students could visit on weekends since it was just a short path away. The road started at Hogsmeade Station and ended at Hogwarts' gates, with a fork leading to the village.
Despite being a small village, Hogsmeade was packed with quirky shops: Zonko's Joke Shop, selling prank items like Hiccough Sweets, Dungbombs, and Nose-Biting Teacups; the Owl Post Office; Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop; Dervish and Banges for magical gear; and more.
The classroom chatter lasted until curfew. Reluctantly, they parted, handing Sean their carefully curated lists—not too long, but packed with picks.
Sean glanced at the lists: all sorts of odd candies like Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Ice Mice, Fudge Flies, and even Dragon's Breath Candies that made you breathe fire.
"Oh, Sean, thank the seniors for us," Justin said.
Sean nodded.
On his way back, he didn't spot Sir Cadogan. He guessed the knight was still wrestling with a sword stuck in a painting somewhere.
Looking at the three small parchments left in his bag, an idea sparked in Sean's mind.
---
Ravenclaw Common Room
It was the last day before the weekend, and older students were buzzing about Hogsmeade plans. Younger ones could only watch enviously.
"Merlin's beard—I heard Hufflepuff seniors are helping younger kids get stuff from Hogsmeade. Why doesn't Ravenclaw have that tradition?" Michael groaned, burying his face in a book.
"Too much hassle," Anthony said, flipping a page. "No one wants to run errands when they're having fun. Unless you're paying enough Galleons."
"Slytherin kids offered one Galleon, and someone took it right away," Michael muttered. A whole Galleon for candy? Not worth it. But he sighed anyway.
Then—
"What's this, Sean? Your Quidditch tips guide? Gotta read that!" Michael said eagerly.
Ever since Sean passed his flying test, Michael had dreamed of soaring up to Ravenclaw Tower like him. Climbing stairs was torture, especially when you saw your friend zoom past on a broom. Michael was happy for Sean at first, but he hadn't expected to feel this jealous.
"Hogsmeade shopping list…" Sean said.
Michael froze, then yelped, "Merlin's Fizzing Whizbees!"
Sean handed out the last of the lists. The small, sturdy parchments carried big hopes.
Justin wanted decorations to spruce up the bare classroom. Everyone agreed it was too plain compared to the Great Hall or common room.
Hermione, egged on by Justin, got a haul of candies with all sorts of magical effects.
Neville? Mostly flowerpots. His budget was tight, so it all went to plants.
As for Sean, thinking of Justin, Hermione, and Neville's excited faces always brought a small smile to his lips.